The present invention is not to be confused with internal mechanical and electrical stabilization systems mostly found in video cameras. These stabilization systems rely on mechanical and electrical adjustments within the camera to compensate for movement of the camera during shooting.
One prior art device, known as Glidecam 2000 Pro, is a lightweight, hand-held, camcorder stabilizing system which allows a cameraman to shoot smooth shots even while going to extremes like running up and down stairs or traveling over rugged terrain.
The Glidecam 2000 Pro has an offset handle grip attached to a free floating Gimbal, which allows the user's hand to move up and down, and side to side, thereby isolating the user's hands from unwanted motions from the camera.
A camera platform moves back and forth, and side to side, to allow adjustment of the cameras horizontal balance. By varying the amount of counterweight disks on a base platform the camera's vertical balance can be adjusted.
The Glidecam 2000 Pro supports any camcorder or movie camera weighing up to 6 pounds. A small LCD monitor can be attached to a base monitor mount hole provided on the Glidecam 2000 Pro.
Another prior art device is known as Steadicam JR and is manufactured and distributed by The Tiffen Company. Steadicam JR is a compact, personal Steadicam for lightweight Compact VHS, Super VHS-C, 8 mm, Hi8, Super Hi8 and Mini DV camcorders weighing up to 4 pounds. Structurally, the Steadicam JR is similar to the Glidecam 2000 Pro and is made up of a camera platform, a gimbal handle, a flat screen monitor and two folding arms. The heart of the Steadicam JR is a stabilization concept that uses weights and balances, which places the center of gravity within its free-floating, inter-gimbaled handle assembly.
Finally, another device for stabilizing a camera during shooting is a conventional tripod or monopod. These devices provide three legs, in the case of a tripod, and one leg, in the case of a monopod, to touch the ground and provide a balance for a camera attached to the top of the tripod or monopod.
Although these devices perform their individual tasks well, there is a need for a device that embodies all of the best attributes of the stabilization devices and the monopod in a light, compact construction. The present invention is directed toward filling that need.